Saturday, July 28, 2007

Living the Dash, Not Dashing to Live

Fellow blogger and Make it Great guru, Phil Gerbyshak asked a great question in his inspiring post, “What’s in your dash?”(Thank you, Phil). His post and question got me thinking long and hard about what I contribute and how I wish to show up in this world.

 

I realize how important it is to live each day to the fullest and to not take things (such as time, people, opportunities, etc) for granted. So what’s my dash?

 

From the time I was born in 1966 to the present my dash has been filled with some priceless and some trying (but growth encouraging) moments:

 

  • Being a curious little girl who loved to climb trees and build birds’ nests out of mud and twigs.
  • Singing in a garage band.
  • Creating “Life Day”, a day for fellow students to engage in life changing topics from communicating with their parents to dealing with thoughts of suicide.
  • Leaving my home of 18 years to attend a college 1200 miles away.
  • Losing my grandmother to an AIDS-related illness and deciding it was time to get involved in AIDS education.
  • Getting married to my college sweetheart
  • Graduating from college
  • Co-founding an AIDS prevention organization for youth
  • Giving birth to an amazing son who will be turning 13 next month (Where has time gone?)
  • Becoming a co-business owner in a wonderful business with one of the most incredible individuals on this planet.
  • Realizing that the man I married, while a good man (and one I am grateful for, for many reasons), was not the right man for me, nor was I the right woman for him.
  • Getting divorced
  • Celebrating the fact that twin flames do actually exist and I love mine very much.
  • Starting a masters program in I/O Psychology
  • Following my passion and purpose by becoming a coach. I feel so blessed to have a great practice with some of the greatest clients.
  • Working for one of the best coach training organizations with some of the greatest people in the world (IMHO)
  • Finishing  and obtaining my Masters in I/O Psychology
  • Receiving my coaching certification from the International Coach Federation

Phew, and those are just some of the highlights that bubble to the surface. For the next 50+ years I am committed to filling my dash with positive contributions to this planet. It is my desire to continue giving back, to supporting others in living their most authentic and passionate lives, and to being me – a woman who lives life to the max.

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving
safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in
broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming,
"WOW! What a ride!"

 

So what’s your dash?

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Pam at 5:18:14 PM in Not Just Talk (85) | Comments (2) | Permalink

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Gossip; Friend or Foe

I have never been one who has liked gossip. HOWEVER, I feel it is important to clarify that while I do not like it that does not mean that I have never done it. When I was in high school I gossiped A LOT. Why? Well, I could justify it by saying that the people I wanted to fit in with gossiped, so I gossiped. That was not the real reason though. The real reason, I felt really crappy about me and gossiping was a way to focus my attention elsewhere.

This past week I will admit that I participated in a small bit of gossip and I have to tell you, it made me feel awful. It made my heart feel heavy. I did not feel like me at all.

It did serve a positive purpose and that was to remind me that I do not have to gossip in order to fit in, nor do I have to gossip in order to focus my attention elsewhere. I am grateful for the reminder and the awareness that I am not the same person I was in high school. Oh, and here is something else I was reminded of; gossiping says nothing about the person being gossiped about, but it does say a lot about the gossiper.

I do not want people to see me in the negative light that gossiping creates, nor do I wish to see me in that light. With that said it is my commitment to stay true to me, true to my values and not participate in gossip.

Posted by Pam at 5:13:52 PM in Not Just Talk (85) | Comments (0) | Permalink

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Let It Go

This past week I finished the second e-workbook in the Will the Real YOU Please Step Forward Series. (YEEEEHAW!) I have to be honest and say that aside from my thesis this was the hardest piece I have ever written. I really struggled with it. Not because I was at a loss for content. I knew what I wanted to convey and I knew what the objective of the e-workbook was going to be.

So what made it so hard?

I had to find a way to let go of the words. To share them in a way that would support another person in letting go of anything that was holding them back.

Who am I kidding? That was not the real issue.

The real issue was that while I was writing I came to the realization that there were still some things that I needed to let go of. So here I am writing a book about letting go while letting go. At times it felt exhilarating and at other times I was so completely drained I felt like I was going to implode.

It does not get any more real than that. Does it?

The long and the short, I am thrilled with the outcome – both the e-workbook and the space I created. I cannot wait to share these e-workbooks with the world.



Posted by Pam at 10:48:09 PM in Not Just Talk (85) | Comments (0) | Permalink

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Spotlights Make Me Sweat

Have you ever felt uncomfortable receiving a compliment? I HAVE!! I raise my hand and admit that I am not very good at receiving compliments.

It's not because I do not appreciate, like, and value compliments. I do! And I certainly NEVER wish to discount the person giving them by not receiving. I just find it uncomfortable sometimes.

Why?

Well, I have poked and prodded my brain for an answer and here is what came up for me; receiving a compliment feels like I am being placed in the spotlight. I am a spotlight shiner by nature, not one who stands in the spotlight. What's ironic is that in order to fully give, we have to also be able to receive.(That's polarity, right?) So if I am big on giving, which I am, I have to get better about receiving.

Not only that, but I learned something really cool at the Summit for Bigger Small Talk, when we are open to receiving, we learn and grow. Oh, and get this; as you all know I am REALLY big into setting intentions and taking action in order to create results. Ummmm, you have to be open to receiving in order for results to fully come.

So this coach is going to work on strengthening her receiving muscle. I can promise you that I will do so with grace and gratitude, because I would hate not to create results and stop growth and change from happening.

Posted by Pam at 12:41:00 AM in Not Just Talk (85) | Comments (0) | Permalink